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In the back and forth of complicated litigation, too often the personal commitment and the skills of the attorneys get lost.
In the recently completed Texas Voter Photo ID trial, a very small group of attorneys fighting the Texas Voter Photo ID law have been working without fees and, in many cases, using their own funds to cover expenses. Their work has been nothing short of heroic.
Chad Dunn, Gerry Hebert, Ezra Rosenberg and Adam Harris represented intervenors opposed to the Texas Voter Photo ID bill. Working in alliance with the US Department of Justice, and other civil rights groups, they presented compelling evidence before a three-judge District of Columbia Federal Court to demonstrate that the Texas Voter ID law creates an illegal barrier for minority citizens to cast their votes. Further, they showed that the law, which was conceived by Republican political operatives and forced through by partisan state Republican leaders, was adopted with the intent to discriminate against Hispanic and African-American Texans.
Over the last five years, Republican Attorney General Greg Abbot has spent millions in Texas taxpayer funds to conduct phony voter fraud prosecutions and to defend discriminatory actions by other Texas Republican leaders.
Lacking confidence in the lawyers directly employed by the AG’s office, Abbott often turns to high-priced outside legal counsel. In the DC voter ID trial, Abbott committed hundreds of thousands of dollars to a private Chicago-based law firm that specializes in expensive trial litigation and charges in the range of $600 per hour plus expenses for their services. However, any observer of the trial or anyone reading the transcripts can clearly see that the team of pro bono lawyers working with the DOJ on behalf of Texas minority voters was far superior to the expensive, tax-payer funded gun-for-hire, Chicagoans.
A decision by the three-judge panel on the Texas Voter Photo ID law is expected by the end of August. The Lone Star Project predicts the Court will invalidate the Texas law. Whether the law is struck down or upheld, however, voters in Texas can be thankful that brilliant and dedicated attorneys like Chad Dunn, Gerry Hebert, Ezra Rosenberg and Adam Harris devoted their time and resources to defend the voting rights of millions of Texans. We salute them.
The trial transcripts can be read below. We specifically direct you to the outstanding closing arguments of Gerry Hebert and Ezra Rosenberg.
Sincerely,
Matt Angle
Lone Star Project Director
